


Is This a Promise I Can Keep?

by TheWolfOfWings



Category: Undertale
Genre: Feels, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-18
Updated: 2016-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-27 10:58:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6281914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWolfOfWings/pseuds/TheWolfOfWings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which someone gets sick.</p><p> </p><p>(And i keep changing the title.. Sorry XD im not doing it anymore so dont worry)<br/>(I lied... .-. Now im done)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Is This a Promise I Can Keep?

201X  
Ebot City  
Papyrus smiled widely as he boiled some hot water for his spaghetti. It had been a while after the monsters where freed by Frisk form Mount Ebbot to the surface. Everything was going great! Not problems! No worries! No- "cough cough!!”, a hoarse cough sounded from behind Papyrus.  
Papyrus tuned around, his frown bending slightly as he looked to the short skeleton who was walking sleepily into the kitchen. "Good morning Sans... Are you alight?.. That cough didn't sound to good.."  
Sans snapped his head up, looking at Papyrus. He gave his younger brother a reassuring smile. "yeah paps, i'm fine. I just choked on some air. It's air-resistible". Sans gave a small dusty sounding chuckle.  
Papyrus groaned before he studied the shorter skeleton, notching the dark circles under his eyes where a lot darker than last time he checked. He also noticed that Sans' voice was a good chunk deeper than normal and not to mention a bit scratchy. Sans leaned against the wall instead of pulling off the lazy look when he stood up straight. Papyrus was getting worried fast. He frowned as ideas raced through his skull on how his brother started looking so.... Weak...  
"Umm... Sans, this isn't about.. The 'resets', right?..."  
Papyrus hesitated before he talked a bit faster. "You already said that Frisk promised that they would stop an-"  
"woah! woah paps, it's not that at all. your just looking at it all wrong. i just had trouble sleeping, that's all. i'm fine".  
Sans smiled reassuringly as Papyrus frowned even more.  
"Are you positively sure?.."  
"yes, I'm sure. no need to worry about little ol' me."  
Sans chuckled, not wanting to worry Papyrus before he got an idea. "hey, you where talking 'bout how the stars looked pretty cool yesterday, right?"  
Papyrus nodded. "how bout i show you the constellations t'night?" Papyrus'es eyes widened, a grin forming on is skeletal face.  
"REALLY!?"  
"yep, i promise"  
"WOWIE!! That would be amazing! Almost more amazing than I! The Great Papyrus!!"  
Sans chuckled smiling. "good to know pap... 'spaghettis burning"  
"OH!" Papyrus wiped around to tend to the spaghetti as sans walked over and took a seat at the table, hiding a small faint cough.

"UNDYNE!!" Papyrus grinned as he returned the hug from the fish woman.  
"PAPYRUS!! ARE YOU READDY TO HAVE A GREAT MORNING EXERCISE!?" Undyne parted from the hug, flashing a wide toothy grin.  
"YEAH!!" Papyrus fist pumped the air, Sans chuckled form the couch. The short skeleton was doing his best to hold down a nasty cough.  
Undyne had came over to the house, like she did every morning, but this time she brought Alphys who was hanging out next to the couch.  
Normally Undyne would come over she and Papyrus would go out for there morning exercise and training. Sometimes they would pick Frisk up form Toriel's house so she could join them. Back in the Underground they would get up earlier, but they decided to stick to a more human timed schedule so they could have humans join the training if they wanted to.  
Alphys watched as Undyne and Papyrus yelled about how much fun they where going to have, before she looked at Sans. Alphys noticed the dark circles and his more lazy smile than normal... If that was even possible.  
Alphys was training to be a doctor. Everyone figures that she is doing this so she can help human doctors with they're study for monsters so they can help monsters later.  
She was slightly good at it before she started training, Asgore had noticed her potential, but she had darted out of the room with some random excuse when he brought it up.  
It took convincing and some cheering from Undyne for her to finally accept. She's now helping a lot in discoveries and medical help for monsters and a bit for humans.  
"hey al, undyne is over there"  
Alphys flinched as Sans pointed towards the blue fish. A slight blush of embarrassment appeared.  
"O-oh! N-n-no! T-that's n-not what I-I!..." She cleared her throat " y-you just d-don't l-look that w-well today.. A-... Are you o-ok Sans?..."  
Sans looked at her for a moment before he nodded. "never better al"  
"D-don't lie to me S-Sans" Alphys frowned, lowering her voice. Papyrus and Undyne seemed to be forgotten in the background, but it didn't matter because they where leaving. Sans and Alphys waved as they left, Sans didn't speak until they did.  
"i'm just a bit tired al, noting to worry about. i should be fine tomorrow-"  
"S-Sans"  
"paps was worrying 'bout me, but I'm really fine-"  
"Sans"  
Sans looked at her, his permanent smile not even bending a little. After a few moments Sans sighed before he spilled.  
"i feel a bit weak. i'm not able to use my magic. i'm coughing a lot. it's hard to sleep. the nightmares are still coming but they don't wake me up anymore. and... i'm just..." He moved his hands around a bit, trying to find the right words. "tired"  
Alphys frowned. "S-Sans... How l-long h-has this b-been going o-on?..."  
Sans looked down, thinking.  
"You s-stared looking more t-tired about a week after we came to the s-s-surface..."  
"... sounds about right"  
"Sans!?" Sans flinched when the dinosaur raised her voice. Alphys covered her mouth. "Why didn't y-you tell a-anyone?"  
Sans looked at her, his pupils going dull for a moment before they brightened up.  
His smile softened. "al, don't worry. i'm really fine. i'm sure this will pass. besides, i'm still walking, am i right? a little cough doesn't fit with any of the other symptoms for any sicknesses we know about, probably just scratched my throat. i'm starting to stop with the nightmares, never said they got worse did i? besides, i'm happy now. i won't let a little sickness get in the way of anything I do-"  
"You h-have ONE HP Sans, ONE"  
Sans shook his head, showing his HP bar. The one had climbed it's way to ten. Alphys looked at it, eyes wide. Sans smiled.  
"Y... Y-you g-g-gained h-h-hope..." "yep"  
"h-h-how?.." She flinched "I-if that's o-o-ok for me t-to a-a-ask!"  
"it's fine" Sans shrugged  
"it's a combination between moving to the surface, having paps more happy, and the kiddo's promise"  
Alphys nodded slowly, deciding it was better if she didn't ask about the promise. She felt as if she intruded to far into his life, making to fast of assumptions... But... She felt as if... He needed help..?  
She looked down, Sans noticed her slight distress.  
"hey al, it's alright. your just looking out for me, it's what ol' buddies do. no harm in that, ok?"  
She looked back up at him, still not sure. "O-ok.."

It had felt like a long day. Sans was dosing off on the couch, Papyrus was on his way back. Undyne and Alphys where saying there goodbyes to the Dreemer family, since everyone just finished a card game. Sans had his tailbone pulled by the curious Frisk. He didn't blame them, he honestly found it a bit funny. Sans had took a shortcut home (he didn't feel like he wanted to perform a shortcut, so he literally knew about another trail home and took it, beating Papyrus home) while Papyrus walked, having to go home early because it was close to Frisk's bed time.  
"SANS!”  
Papyrus ran into the house, smiling widely. "Come on Sans! NEH HEH HEH!! I'm so excited! The stars are coming out!! Let's go!!"  
Sans looked up sleepily, almost forgetting about his promise.  
"oh. hey bro, what's up?" He teased Papyrus.  
"SANS! Don't tell me you forgot?!"  
"nah, just pulling your tail bone" Sans snickered as he got up, Papyrus frowned but then grinned, to exited to stay mad.  
"Ok Sans! Let's Go!"  
Sans nodded as he followed his brother out the door. Sans stared telling papyrus about how much he stargazed and how he thought Papyrus would love it. Papyrus listened until Sans stopped talking before Papyrus started talking about how excited he was, and how fun his morning training was. Sans was leading them to a tall, rounded grassy hill that he usually went to so he could stargaze.  
He left his telescope up there and knew that it was the perfect spot to stargaze.  
Sans frowned as they're trail steepened. One thing he didn't tell Alphys about, was it felt like there was a big clump of pressure in his magic-nonexistent-stomach. The pressure was getting harder. Sans stared to sweat before they where even a fourth up the hill. Sans looked up at Papyrus who was now ahead of him, still very exited. Sans stopped walking when his vision went hazy. He bent over, catching his breath as he tried to push the painful pressure away. He squeezed where his stomach was, hoping it old help. He winced when it just made it worse. He felt his bones starting to go num and his eyes flickered off. He could barely think...  
"Come on Sans, where almost to the top!"  
Sans shook as Papyrus tuned around. Sans smiled the best he could as he looked up at where he thought his brother was.  
"you know... maybe you should... go on without me..."  
Papyrus frowned, not able to see Sanses face in the dark. He became worried slightly when he couldn't see the pinpricks of Sanses eyes but he pushed the fear away. Maybe he was just looking back at home? Yeah! That's it!  
"Why would I do that? Your the one who likes stargazing so much! Come on! Your almost there!"  
"nah... nah, i'm not gonna make it..." Sans had to strain to keep his voice steady. He would just be a big fail if he worried Papyrus. Why wasn't he just leaving him? Why can't Papyrus just not worry about him for once? Papyrus could just go and not have to be worried about the pounding pain that was filling up Sanses stomach. His vision wavered, and he almost didn't hear Papyrus telling him not to be lazy.  
Sans fell to the ground, on all fours. His legs where not able to carry him anymore. He wanted to lay down and hold his stomach, but he couldn't do this to Papyrus! Get up! Papyrus couldn't handle it if you became ill! You said you where fine! Get up!  
"i'm not..." Get up! Don't do this! Get up! Stop the pain! Stop hurting!... Stop hurting... It hurts... ".... gonna make it..." "Sans-"  
Sans fell to the ground. Everything seemed to be thrown upside down in a large jolt of pain. Sans did his best not to groan in pain. He couldn't move.  
Papyrus looked at Sans, worry covering his face. What?.. No. Sans, no. Stop, it's not funny...  
"I'll carry you then" Papyrus took a step forward.  
"nah... you've been doing that long enough..." Sans tried to chuckle... But. He. Wouldn't. Move. Nothing seemed to work but his voice at this point, and that even hurt.  
"it's ok." Sans replaced the moan for a long sigh, he was trying hard to keep his voice steady.  
"I'm not going to let you give up. Come on" Papyrus grabbed Sans' arm, trying to pull him up but he wasn't cooperating.  
"we all got to give up sometime, ya know?..." Sans felt himself drifting away, and he couldn't help but welcome it. He couldn't push it away anymore. It was to late. "there ain't no way around it.." He had given up... Was that the best thing to do now...?.. What about Papyrus?  
"Sans, you promised you'll tell me about the constellations tonight."  
No... "Heh Sorry..." Just... A... Little... Longer... Stay... Determined.... "you know i'm no good with promises..." .... Don't.... Give... U-  
Darkness  
"Come on." Papyrus frowned, trying to sound annoyed. "Get up."  
Nothing  
Papyrus looked at Sans before he closed his eyes, tears streaking down his face as he knelt down in front of Sans  
"Please..."  
Papyrus had known.. Not what was wrong with Sans, but that Sans was slowing down.. It hurt Papyrus to much, he tried to ignore it... But that never works, dose it?...  
Papyrus opened his eyes, more tears fell from his eye sockets as he looked at his brother. Sans... Not moving, not happy, not sad... Not worried... No expression or energy... Papyrus shook his head, this had to be a dirty prank.... It just had to...  
Papyrus bent down and picked up Sans.  
Prank or not, Papyrus won't let Sans end the day by braking a promise.. Even... Even if it was his last day...  
Papyrus didn't say another word as he brought sans up the hill and sat down, cradling Sans on his lap under the stars.  
Fresh, endless tears trickled down Papyruses face, but he couldn't make a sound. He felt mute... Like Frisk... What was it like for them, when they lost someone special?.. Could they cry?.. Or did they just look away knowing that no matter how loud they screamed, no one could hear there sad cry?...  
Papyrus shook his head, trying to clear away the thought. Papyrus put a hand to Sans' chest, where his soul was as he tried to heal it. Green magic filling the palm of his hand.  
Nothing seemed to work.  
Please... That was the last word he said all night... And he won't speak another until he could find help for Sans.

A day... A day and a half..  
Papyrus sat in the waiting room of Alphys new lab. He messed with a color cube, he had made all the sides X's and now he was trying to turn them into O's. It was his and Sans' favorite puzzle.  
The sound of a small, slow patter of footsteps pulled the skeleton away from the puzzle as he looked to the yellow dinosaur that was waddling towards him.  
"Oh, Doctor Alphys! How is Sans, is he doing alright? You can fix him, right?" Papyrus smiled with hope.  
Alphys' face dropped as she froze for a moment. She forced herself to move forward and pull up a chair to sit in front of Papyrus. She looked at Papyrus, forcing away her stutter as she looked at him.  
"Papyrus, listen" her voice wavered slightly.  
"Sans isn't going to wake up. The magic keeping him together had given out. His soul is to weak." She forced a dry swallow. "He hasn't tuned to dust yet.. But it's going to happen. Maybe even tonight. I-If there's something you want to say to him, go do it now. You might not get another chance."  
Papyrus and Alphys shared a moment of silence, the dinosaur starting to worry that Papyrus would yell, but he didn't. He didn't say anything at all. He just stood up, tuned around and started to leave. Alphys watched him before she covered her face and started to cry silently.  
Undine saw Papyrus leaving near the exit and grabbed his arm. "Papyrus, wait" he stopped but didn't look at her. "Did Alphys tell you...?"  
Papyrus looked at her, tears pricking his eyes as he forced a smile. "O-oh, uh, yeah! Um. She said he wouldn't wake up tonight.."  
Undyne didn't let go of his arm. She frowned slightly. I'm so sorry Papyrus.. How could this happen to you?..  
"S-so he's going to wake up tomorrow night! I need to get something to read for him when he wakes up, since he always reads to me before I go to sleep."  
"Papyrus."  
"Usually you read to someone to put them to sleep, but you can read to them to wake them up too I bet! He'll probably laugh about it, like it's another one of his terrible jokes..."  
"Papyrus."  
"All.... Just a another joke..."  
Papyrus looked away, letting his smile fall to a frown as the tears started streaming. Undine pulled him into a hug. He held her tight. He buried his face into her neck, trying to hide his tears.  
"Why is this happening, he didn't deserve this, he didn't do anything wrong." Papyrus cried.  
"Things like this just happen.. There's nothing you can do" Undine did her best to comfort Papyrus, but she knew it would be terribly hard and it would take a long time.  
She deiced to speak once his crying softened and slowed. He hiccuped.  
"... Papyrus... Why don't you say goodbye to Sans?.. He would love it. To know that his brother loved him enough to stay by his side till the end... Do you want to do that for him?..."

 

"O-o-ok..."

**Author's Note:**

> Heeeeeeyyyyyy!  
> This is my first fanfic here :D  
> I hope I didn't crush hearts to bad  
> This was inspired by a couple of Zarla's unnamed comics which you can find here  
> http://zarla-s.tumblr.com/
> 
> Edit 1: Oh! And if anyone can, can someone send this to Zarla? It would be awesome if you could!... I don't have a tumblr account so.. Thanks! :3
> 
> Edit 2: 188 hits?! Thanks for the support!! ^^
> 
> Edit 3: i was looking around and found out Brother to brother was already a title to something that wasnt at all close to what this storys about.. Wups! Oh well, i hope the new name to this story fits better ^^  
> (Then i accidentally make the storys title 'just to see the start'... Welp...)


End file.
